Camera.



No. 642.877. Patented Feb. 6, |900. U. H. PECK & C. L. ANDERSON.

C A M E R A.

(Applfcatmn filed June 9, 189B. Renewed Sept. 18, 1899,)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

No. 642,877. Patented Feb. 6, |900. o. HY. PEcK & c. L. ANDERSON.

CA M E R A.

(Application filed Tune 9, 1898. Renewed Sept. 18, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

T 0 me f l w w XI, I I m LBJ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORLANDO II. PEOK AND CHARLES L. ANDERSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNE- SOTA;SAID ANDERSON ASSIGNOR TO SAID PEOK.

CAM ERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,877', datedFebruary 6, 1900. Application filed J'nne 9, 1898. Renewed September 18,1899. Serial No. 730,950. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern: Y i

Beit known that we, ORLANDO I-I. PECK and CHARLES L. ANDERSON, citizensof the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepinand State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cameras; and we do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and description of theinvention,such as will enable othersskilled zo in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to cameras, and has for its object to improve thesame in the several points hereinafter noted.

To these ends the invention consists of the novel devices andcombinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in theclaims.

Our invention is illustrated in the accomzo panying drawings, whereinlike characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure l is a perspective View of a camera. Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the interior mechanism of the camera removed from the case.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken approximately on the line @c5 oe3of Fig. l. Fig. l is a plan View, on an enlarged scale, showing the filmcutter or knife and associated parts, some 3o parts being sectioned onthe line x4 r4 of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 isa transverse section taken on theline .x5 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a detail View, the parts shown beingsectioned on the line x0' of Fig. d. I

l indicates the box or case of the camera, which, as is ordinary, isprovided with the hinged end 2, finders 3, and lens-opening, (notshown,) in line with which latter the lens is of course located.Furthermore, as shown,

4o the box or case l is provided with a handle 5, and the hinged end 2is adapted to be secured in its closed position by a pivoted hook 6 onsaid box engaging with the pin 7 on said hinged end.`

In connection with suitable iilm -feeding mechanism we employ a iilmcutter or knife of novel construction, the preferred form of whichwillbe described immediately after describing the said film-feedingmechanism. This 5o film-feeding mechanism is mounted on and removablewith a supporting bracket or frame which iits within and is removablefrom the box or case 1. The bracket, as shown and preferred, is made upprincipally of a flat bed-section c, a anged head c, transverseconnecting-flanges c2, and a vertically and longitudinally extended sideflange c3. Loose guide-rollers c4 are mounted in the iianges of the headc, and a pair of bearing-brackets c5, with open-end slots c?, arerigidly secured to 6o the innermost ends of the iianges of said head c.A spindle c7 is removably held in place in the slot c6 by light springsc7, secured to said brackets c5. The roll of unexposed film c is placedon the spindles cS and passed over the guide-rollers c4, as indicated inFig. 2.

To the outermost end of the head c a bearing-block cf is rigidlysecured, and in end flanges 010 thereof the trunnions ou of thefeed-roller c12 are loosely mounted. One trun- 7o nion c11 is providedwith a small spur-pinion cl3. The outer ends of the end ianges 010 areprovided with hook-like bearing-seats C14, in which the trunnions 015 ofa presser-roller 016 are journaled. The presser-rollerc1G is pref- 75erably slightly elastic, and when forced into its seat by downwardpressure it presses against the feed-roller cl2.

The film 2 after passing over the guid e-rollers c4 is passed betweenthe feedrollers cl2 8o and presser-roller o16. It is then passeddownward between vertical and transversely-extended guide-iianges c,immediately below Which the cutter or knife operates thereon, aspresently described. The feed-roller c12 8 5 may be given its feedmovement at will by means of a key or finger-piece c, which, as shown,works through a countersunk thimble C19 in one side of the box and isdetachably i securable to the trunnion cu, which projects 9o away fromthe pinion cl3. This key or fingerpiece 018 must, of course, be appliedto the trunnions c11 after the removable mechanism is placed within thebox or case and mustbe removed before the said mechanism can be removed.

In the film-cutter we employ a knife or shear blade f, which is pivotedat f on a stud or screw that is screwed into or projects from ahorizontally-extended iiange or rib 020 of the loo bearing-block o9.This knife or blade f preferably coperates with a fixed shear-blade f2,

that is directly secured to the under surface of the rib 020, just belowthe guide-flanges C17. The knifefis under spring tension to close ormove inward from a leaf-spring f3, one end of which is rigidlysecured tothe head c' and the other end of'which is notched so as to embrace theback edge of said knife. The spring]E3 has also a side action on theknife, which causes the same to press tightly against the coperatingedge of the fixed shear-blade f2. The knife or bladef is tripped intoaction or released, so that under the action of its spring]L13 it willcut the film-section by means of an actuating device operated by thestripfeeding mechanism and by us termed the knifetripf7 This deviceconsists of a cam or disk g, which, as shown, is rigidly secured on ashort common shaft g', with aspur-gear g2, which is in mesh with thespur-pinion c12 on the trunnion of the feed-rollerf. The shaft g isjournaled in one of the end lianges 010 of the bearing-block cg, and thesaid parts g and g2 work one on each side of said liange. The cam ordisk g has a radial slot g3, which stands in line with a similar slotgL1 in the spur-wheel g2, and the said fiange 010 has a slot g5, withwhich the said slots g3 and g4 may be registered. The free end of theknife or blade f projects through and works in the slot g5 and isadapted to be thrown into the slots gS and g4 when said slots are inline therewith, as is necessary to permit the cutting move ment thereof.

After a section of the lilm has been cut off the knife or bladefremainsin the slots g3 and g4, and thereby locks both the trip device and thelm-feeding mechanism against movement for the time being.

The free end of the knife f is adapted to be engaged by the inner end ofa finger-lever 7L, that works with a close joint through a slottedbearing h', to which it is pivoted. A spring normally holds said lever7L in the position indicated by full lines in Fig. 3. lVhcn the lever his forced into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, it willmove the free end of the knife into line with the cam-surface g of diskg and will itself be held by the said knife. The knifef and lever 71,will remain in this position until the strip-feeding mechanism is movedby means of the key C18 and feed-rollerc12. By the initial strip-feedingmovement the cam-surface gX will engage the free end of the knife, camthc same outward onto the periphery of the disk g, and thus release thelever 7a. The knife being thus retracted will be held from action untilone complete rotation of the disk or cam has been made, at thecompletion of which rotation the knife will again enter the slots g3 andg4 and positively lock the stripfeeding mechanism from further movement.

It should be here observed that in the construction shown the spur-gearg2 is three times the diameterof the pinion c, and that the feed-rollerc12 is of such diameter that three rotations thereof or one rotation ofdisk g will feed the film a distance equal to the length of the desiredsection of film which is to be cut off. It consequently follows thatwhen the knife has been retracted it is only necessary to continue themovement of the strip-feeding mechanism until the movement thereof istemporarily but positively interrupted by the entrance of the knife intothe slots g3 g4. This action is positive and accurate and removes allpossibility of incorrectly cutting the film. The lm-sectiens which arecut off will usually curl up into smal'l rolls, and they will be droppedinto the compartment formed between the hinged end 2 of the camera-boxand the adjacent connecting-flange c2 These exposed and cut sections mayof course may be remo-ved from the camera and developed at any time,regardless of the number of sections which have been exposed, and it isof course for this purpose that a cutting device is provided. Attentionis also called to the fact that the iilm is passed over its guide1ollersin such manner that the distance between the knife and the nearestportion of the section of the film which is in position for exposure isequal to the length of section of film which is to be exposed. It shouldalso be noted that the trunnions C15 of the presser-roller c1G arecontinually crowded or worked downward to the bottoms of their seats c14by the rotary movement of said presser-roller. The connecting webs orflanges c2 are so spaced apart that they will not cut off the rays oflight which should pass from the lens (not shown) to the exposedfilm-section.

It is usually very desirable to know the number of exposures made ornumber of sections cut, and to this end we provide a register or tallywhich is actuated either directly or indirectly from the film-feedingmechanism. This register or tally comprises a dial or graduatednumeral-disk 7c, the numerals of which are adapted to be broughtsuccessively into registration with a Sightppening 7c in one side of thebox or case l. On one face the disk 7c is provided with a ratchet-Wheelor hub k2, upon which the pawl end of asliding plunger 7c3 operates.This pawl-plunger 7f3 is secured to the iiange cS byaslot-and-pinconnectionA 7a4, and it is normally held upward bya spring Asmallleaf-spring 706 guides the upper end of said pawl 7c3 and permits thesame a slight pivotal movement under the action of the ratchet-wheel7a2. A pin or projection 7d" on the gear g2 engages the upper end of thepawl rsonce at each complete rotation of said gear, and by forcing saidpawl downward moves the numeral disk or dial one step in advance, andthus keeps track of and registers the number of the film-sectionsexposed and cut. A retaining pawl or spring 75S prevents return movementof the dial.

It is of course the proper manipulation to move the film immediatelyafter an exposure is made, so as to always have an unexposed section offilm in position and ready for the IOO IIO

next exposure, and this is the practice universally adopted. However, asa matter of fact, it very often happens that the operators attention isdiverted immediately following making an exposure, so that he becomesuncertain as to whether or not the proper movement of the film has beenmade. I-Ie will seldom remember the number of exposures previously made,and hence, even if a register or tally is provided, he is very liable tobe unable to determine whether or not the movement has been made. IVeremove the possibility of any such an uncertainty by the provision of adevice which is operated directly or indirectly from the strip-feedingmechanism and which will indicate at a glance Whether or not the filmhas been moved since the last exposure. In its preferred form thisdevice (herein designated as the indicatorto distinguish it from theregister or tally heretofore described) is comprised as follows: pindicates a Y-shaped pendulum which is piv- 'oted to the base c at p andis provided With a pointed stem p2,\vhich is adapted to be struck by aprojection p3 on the toggle-lever section l) at each movement in eitherdirection ofthe sh utter. At its intermediate portion the pendulum p ismarked with a character, such as N, indicating not exposed, and on eachside it is marked with characters-such as X, for example-indicatingexposed Any one of these characters, but only one at a time, is adaptedto be brought into registration with a sigh t-hole plin the side of thecase or box l. p5 indicates a sliding plunger, which has a slot-and-pinconnection p with a Iiange c3 of the main bracket and works through akeeper p7 thereon. This plunger is normally held upward, as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 2, by means of a spring p8; but its upper end isadapted to be engaged once at each complete rotation of the gear g2 andforced downward by the pin k7, heretofore noted as operating upon thepawl 7e3. This action is illustrated by full lines in Fig. 2, byreference to which it will be seen that the lower end of said plunger p5engages the prongs of the, pendulump and by its action thereon forcesthe same into its intermediate position, in which position not exposed.will be indicated through the sight-opening p4. When the pin k7 passesthe upper end of the plunger p5, said plunger will be thrown upward bythe action of its spring p8, but will leave the indicator-pendulum pstanding where set. The pendulum will remain in this position until theshutter is moved and an exposure made, which action will cause theprojection p3 of the shutter-operating lever l), which Works through aslot 8, to strike the point p2 and throw said pendulum into either oneor the other of its positions, indicating exposed. The indicatorpendulumcan only be moved from such a position by a movement of the filmsufficient to bring an unexposed section into place.

lVhat We claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is as follows:

l. The combination with feeding mechanism, of a cutter under springtension to act and cutoff the lm, and a trip normally holding saidcutter retracted and inactive against the strain of its spring device,which trip is arranged itself to be actuated by said feeding mechanism,and when actuated to release said cutter and permit the same to cut thelm under the action of its spring device, substantially as described.

2. In a camera, the combination with a pair of rollers, between whichthe film is passed, of a knife or blade under spring tension to cut offsaid film, a notched or slotted disk for holding said knife inactive andreleasing the same, and connections for operating said disk from one ofsaid rollers, substantially as described.

3. In a camera, the combination with filmfeeding mechanism, of a knifeor film-cutter under spring tension to act, a finger-piece for settingsaid cutter in an inoperative position, and a trip operated by saidfeeding mechanism for releasing said cutter, when the proper section offilm has been fed, substantially as described.

4. In a camera, the combination with the film-feeding mechanism, theshutter and its actuating device, of the indicator-pendulum p p2, aprojection from the shutter-actuating device engagea'ble with said partp2, the longitudinally-movable restoring-plun ger p5 operating on saidpendulum, and a rotary part g2 provided with the projection 707operating on said plunger, substantially as described.

5. In a camera, the combination with filmfeeding mechanism, of a knifeor cutter under spring tension to act, and a trip for holding saidcutter inoperative, itself actuated from said feeding mechanism andoperating to lock the said feeding mechanism at intervals of movementwhich give the desired length to the film-sections, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a camera, the combination with filmfeeding mechanism, of a knifeunder spring tension to act, a finger-operated knife-setting device forsetting said knife in position for action, and a trip actuated from saidfeed mechanism, and itself operating, first to release said settingdevice and retain said knife and later release said knife, substantiallyas described.

'7. In a camera, the combination with filmfeeding mechanism, of a filmcutter, and means actuated by said film-feeding mechanism at intervalsof movement Which give the desired length of film-section, Which meansoperates primarily to lock said feeding mechanism, and, secondarily, torender said cutter operative, substantially as described.

8. In a camera, the combination With lmfeeding mechanism, of a cutterunder spring tension to act, a rotary and radially slotted IOO IIO

part driven from said feeding meehanisnland In testimony whereof Weaffix our signanormally holding said knife inoperative, the tures inpresence of two witnesses.

arrangement being such that when said rzt- ORLANDO H. PEOK.

dial slot is brought into alinement With seid l CHARLES L. ANDERSON. 5cutter the seid feeding mechanism will be Vitnesses:

locked and said knife released7 substantially H. O. SIEVERS,

as and for the purposes set forth. R. G. MGFARLANE.

